I walked into Navin’s room <br />my sister’s son from her first marriage <br />which ended after eleven years <br />because Herbert refused <br />to refrain from picking <br />his nose in public. “It’s my finger. <br />It’s my nose, ” he often said. <br />When my sister filed for divorce <br />he straight-away <br />bought a dozen handkerchiefs, <br />but by then it was far, <br />far too late. <br />Navin asked me <br />if I wanted to trade his old radio which he had sold me <br />for his new one <br />since the new one played like shit, <br />his words. <br />I said, “You must live with your choice— <br />there’s no other way.” <br />“That’s how a Guru talks, ” said Navin <br />to his friend, Michael, <br />then both twelve year olds laughed. <br />While they laughed I sprinkled fish food <br />into Navin’s fish tank <br />and eleven tiny creatures swam upwards, <br />opened their mouths, <br />and gobbled the flakes. <br />“Expound on what you have just witnessed, ” I said. <br />“Use words for normal people, ” replied Navin. <br />“Of course, whad ya just see? ” <br />“You fed the fish, ” said Michael. <br />“A correct observation, <br />but what does it mean with respect <br />to your life? ” <br />“Gurus are like that, ” said Navin, <br />“they can only talk to other Gurus.” <br />“It means, ” I said seriously, <br />“that fish want to survive <br />and you wear your father’s underwear— <br />shit stains and all.” <br />“MA, MA, ” screamed Navin. <br />“What’s the matter? ” asked my sister rushing into the room. <br />“Uncle Steve’s a nut.” <br />“THAT I knew before you were born, ” she said, <br />“tell me something new.” <br />“SPEAK <br />SPEAK NOW, ” I bellowed. <br />Navin said, “C’mon, c’mon. <br />pop your fuckin’ psycho pills already <br />my head’s hurtin’.” <br />then he laughed <br />the sound the same as Herbert’s <br />so I whispered, “No escape.”<br /><br />Charles Chaim Wax<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/let-us-rise-up-like-brave-men/
